The following prayer is a traditional Catholic prayer for the deceased, said at funerals. It is from the Liturgy of the Hours, which Catholics use daily as part of their spiritual practice. We have modified it for use at memorial services and other occasions when someone has died. In this altered form, we have found it comforting and helpful as we mourn our loss and look forward to a new future together with God’s grace.
Loving God,
- Pray to God.
- Ask for help.
- Thank God for the good things in your life, and thank Him for the blessing of this person’s life, even if their life was cut short.
- Say a prayer of thanksgiving and adoration: “Thank You Lord for…[insert here what you are thankful for].” This will help you focus on what is good in your life rather than dwelling on all that is wrong with it at this moment in time.
- Give thanks to God and ask forgiveness from Him because we are not perfect people, just like everyone else who ever lived before us! We make mistakes every day just like everyone else has done throughout history; so don’t be ashamed when asking forgiveness from God because He loves us unconditionally regardless if we’re perfect or not.”
We give thanks for the life of . . . ,
Dear Lord, we give thanks for the life of . . . , and the time that we have had together. We are grateful for their friendship and presence, their love for us, and the way that they made our lives better. We thank you for this person’s life and especially for the wonderful memories we have of them.
We will remember . . . by:
We will honour their memory by:
For his/her generosity and sharing in this family and community,
- For his/her generosity and sharing in this family and community,
- For the care he/she received from . . . ,
- And for the faithfulness of God’s love, which is always present when we need it most.
For the care he/she received from . . . ,
- For the care he/she received from . . .
- For the nurse who cared for them, and called you to share the news.
- For the person who told you about the death, and comforted you in your grief.
And for our gathering today to remember him/her.
When we gather here today, we have the opportunity to remember the life of [name].
We can think about how he/she lived, what they did for others, and how they made an impact on those around them.
Remembering him/her reminds us of what a special person he/she was and was able to do for us all. We may think about the funny things that happened when we were together with him/her. Or maybe you will remember sad times too—times when he/she helped you through something difficult in your life, or loved on you just by being there for you. Maybe it’s one thing that stands out to you as a memory: a story told over dinner or during an afternoon walk; helping around the house while Mom cleaned up supper; playing cards with your grandparents after church…
We ask for your blessing on us all, that we may continue to care for one another as we live out our lives in faith and hope.
Dear God,
We ask for your blessing on us all, that we may continue to care for one another as we live out our lives in faith and hope.
We thank you for our family members who have passed on, for the life they lived and the love they shared among us. We pray that their memory will be a comfort to those who remain.
As we now learn how to live without them, help us to remember their strength and courage as they faced difficult times; teach us how to carry on with strength of spirit like theirs; let us find hope in knowing that our loved ones are no longer suffering; give us peace knowing that they are at rest with You forevermore.
Bless us with a holy sadness that is made perfect by hope, and with a remembrance that sustains us in our lives together.
As you pray for this family, remember that they are experiencing a variety of emotions right now. A loved one has died, and it is natural to be sad at the loss of their presence in our lives. But we can also feel hopeful that they are now with God in heaven and filled with joy. Pray that this hope will sustain them in their grief as they remember their loved one fondly.
Take away our fear of death, that no trouble or hardship may prevent us from loving each other as Christ has loved us.
When we grieve, it is natural to be afraid. We may fear our own mortality or the loss of a loved one. We may worry about how our grief will affect us and those around us.
But God promises that nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). He is with us in all of our suffering, and He promises that no trouble or hardship can prevent us from loving each other as Christ has loved us (John 15:12).
You are not alone in your grief; you can turn to friends and family who also mourn with you. And when you feel overwhelmed by your pain, remember that God will strengthen your faith through His Word and through prayer—and these things will bring comfort during difficult times.
Give us courage to embrace the uncertainty of change and grief; to be open to new life when it comes, and to care for those who are lonely and afraid.
The family of a loved one who has died often experiences a sense of loss, grief, and uncertainty about the future. This can be especially true if you have lost someone young or in their prime. Pray that God will give you the courage to embrace the uncertainty of change and grief; to be open to new life when it comes, and to care for those who are lonely and afraid. Do not be afraid of change; accept each day as an opportunity to see what God’s plan is for your life.
May we be blessed and comforted by the presence of friends and family; especially at this time of loss.
When we are in grief and loss, our family and friends are a great comfort. They can provide us with a shoulder to cry on, give us hugs when we need them, help us with practical things like cooking and cleaning, or just be there to listen when we need someone to talk to.
We also know that sometimes people feel embarrassed or uncomfortable asking for help when they need it most. But what’s important is that you reach out and let those around you know how they can best support you during this difficult time – whether it means having people over for dinner more often so that you don’t have to cook; doing the laundry; helping with yard work; or simply offering an ear if needed.
trust the power of faith to help you through hard times
Perhaps you’re a member of a church or religious community, and you’d like to offer your support by praying. If so, here’s an example of what might be helpful:
Dear Lord, please comfort (name) in this time of grief. We know that the loss was sudden and unexpected, but we are sure that You will bring them peace in Your own way. Help them trust Your power and love as they navigate through their sorrows.
And please provide comfort for all those left behind who are grieving the loss of their loved one. Give them strength to carry on knowing that even though they’ve lost someone precious to them, life still goes on around them; show them how much You care about each person who is grieving alongside them during this trying time. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray these things…
condolence comfort prayer for loss of loved one
Dear God,
I pray for comfort and strength for my friend.
Please be with them today as they grieve the loss of their loved one.
Wrap your loving arms around them and give them peace that passes all understanding.Surround them with people who will love, support, and encourage them.Help them to remember the good times and celebrate their loved one’s life rather than focusing on the pain of their loss.In Jesus’ name, Amen
Loving God,
Loving God,
You are our comfort in times of sorrow. We pray that you will give us strength to carry on, and peace that passes all understanding. We pray to be surrounded by people who will love, support, and encourage us through this difficult time.
I pray for comfort and strength for my friend.
I pray for comfort and strength for my friend. I pray that they will find peace in their grief, and may God grant them the ability to feel comfort in knowing that they are not alone.
May God surround your friend with people who will love, support, and encourage them through this difficult time.
Please be with them today as they grieve the loss of their loved one.
Please be with them today as they grieve the loss of their loved one. Pray for the grieving person and their family, friends, co-workers and neighbors as they cope with this sudden and unexpected loss. You can also pray for all those who have experienced a loss, but especially for those who are facing grief at this time.
We ask that you give them strength to deal with what has happened in their lives, comfort during this difficult time and help them to find joy again someday soon.
Wrap your loving arms around them and give them peace that passes all understanding.
Wrap your loving arms around them and give them peace that passes all understanding. God is with them, He will help them through this time of suffering, He will give them strength to continue on without their loved one here on earth. God will remember the good times that they had together and celebrate their life as it was meant to be lived out — in full service to Christ and His Kingdom.
God is with your friend or family member who has lost a loved one and He will comfort them in ways you cannot understand unless you have experienced the same thing yourself.
Surround them with people who will love, support, and encourage them.
- Surround them with people who will love, support, and encourage them.
- Be there for them. If you have lost a loved one recently, you know how difficult it can be to get out of bed every morning. You want your friends and family around you to help pick up the pieces when life seems too hard or unfair.
- Make sure they are eating and sleeping well. If your friend has lost someone close to them within the last few weeks or months, they may not be eating normally or taking care of themselves properly because they are in so much pain over the loss of their loved one that they cannot function properly without someone encouraging them to take care of their basic needs first before moving on into other aspects such as work or hobbies which were once enjoyable activities but now feel empty without this missing member being present at these events as well (i’m just being honest here). So make sure that whatever time you spend together is spent talking about anything except this loss; otherwise it might end up being an emotionally draining experience instead of what should’ve been uplifting conversation between two friends sharing stories from each other’s lives!
- Don’t avoid talking about their loss – don’t avoid talking about what happened either! It was an accident so there was nothing anyone could have done differently…right? Wrong! Avoiding these conversations means avoiding reality altogether by pretending everything is fine when deep down inside everyone knows something isn’t right anymore since now there will never be another chance again like before where both parties had fun together playing sports or games outside on sunny days while enjoying each others’ company so strongly…or maybe even planning trips overseas together later down track after finishing school first off course!! Either way don’t let go without saying goodbye first okay?”
Help them to remember the good times and celebrate their loved one’s life rather than focusing on the pain of their loss.
It’s important to remember the good times and celebrate your loved one’s life rather than focusing on their pain. Remind them that they are not alone, and encourage them to look forward to the future.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The prayer is finished. Let’s go back to the beginning again: Now I lay me down to sleep… And repeat that phrase until you feel at peace and ready to move on from this moment.
Remember that God loves us more than we can ever imagine. Remember that He is with us in our pain, making it bearable for us because He knows what it’s like not only from personal experience but also from His own son Jesus Christ who died on a cross for all of humanity’s sins so we could live eternally with Him after death (John 3:16).
When you are feeling overwhelmed by grief or sadness over someone close dying, remember that God can help you through your pain—no matter how deep it might be!
